Dai Yuanben facts for kids

Dai Yuanben (Chinese: 戴元本; pinyin: Dài Yuánběn) was a very important Chinese physicist. He was born on July 31, 1928, and passed away on September 26, 2020. A physicist is a scientist who studies how the universe works, from tiny particles to giant galaxies. Dai Yuanben was also part of a special group that advised the Chinese government.

The Early Life of Dai Yuanben

Dai Yuanben was born in a city called Nanjing, in Jiangsu province, China. This was on July 31, 1928. His family originally came from Changde, Hunan.

His family had a history of smart and influential people. His grandfather, Dai Decheng, was a reformer during the late Qing dynasty. This means he wanted to make changes to improve the country. Dai Yuanben's father, Dai Xiujun, was also involved in politics and worked at universities. He even studied in Paris, France! Dai Yuanben was the second of five brothers.

Growing Up During Wartime

Life changed a lot for Dai Yuanben when the Second Sino-Japanese War started in 1937. His family had to move many times to stay safe. They traveled from Changsha to Guiyang, then to Kunming, and finally to Lunan County. This constant moving meant his schooling was often interrupted.

When the war finally ended in 1945, his family settled in Nanjing. He went back to school, first at Nanjing No. 2 High School. Then he attended the Secondary High School linked to National Central University.

University and Beyond

In July 1947, Dai Yuanben was accepted into National Central University. However, his family had to move again, this time to Shanghai, because of the Chinese Civil War. When he returned to campus in 1949, his university had a new name: Nanjing University.

He graduated in August 1952. After graduating, he started working at Nanjing Institute of Technology. He became an associate there in 1952 and an instructor in 1958.

In 1958, Dai Yuanben joined the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He did his advanced studies at the Institute of Mathematics, where he learned from a famous scientist named Zhang Zongsui. After finishing his studies, he stayed there to teach. He became an associate research fellow in 1963 and a research fellow in 1978.

Later in 1978, he moved to the Institute of Theoretical Physics, which is also part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He continued his important work there. Dai Yuanben passed away in Beijing on September 26, 2020, at the age of 92.

Achievements and Recognition

Dai Yuanben was recognized for his important contributions to science.

• 1980: He became a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). This is a very high honor for scientists in China.
• 1982: He received the State Natural Science Award (Second Class). This award was for his work on something called the "straton model," which is a way to understand tiny particles.